Published: August 7, 2017

Favoritism, nepotism, and intimidation at the workplace is nothing new on campus. Race, gender, and age-based discrimination is a reality that many of our union sisters and brothers face on daily basis, be it food service workers, groundskeepers, custodians or library techs. After hearing repeated complaints from classified staff at the University of Oregon (UO) University Health Center (UHC), UO stewards and worksite leaders launched a climate survey. The results from staff at the UHC illustrated some clear patterns of discrimination:

  • 83 percent of respondents reported having witnessed specific coworkers being targeted and held to a different standard than their colleagues.
  • 70 percent have seen disciplinary actions disproportionately impacting isolated members of their department.
  • The vast majority of respondents believe that favoritism runs rampant at UHC in everything from disciplinary action to hiring and retention practices.

UO Office Specialist Lois Yoshishige published a guest opinion in UO’s student publication the Daily Emerald outlining the challenges that workers are facing. The very next day, Lois and the Exec. Committee held an informational picket outside the UHC, resulting in further media coverage. Following a second informational picket on July 26, UO’s Vice President of Student Services & Enrollment Services (SSEM) sent a statement promising to:

  1. Launch of a workplace experience survey in all SSEM departments this fall.
  2. Provide each department in the division with training in regard to prohibited discrimination over the next academic year.
  3. Provide support for all SSEM team members from UO’s division-wide Diversity Committee.

This commitment is a direct result of the continuous unity among classified staff at the University of Oregon. By sticking together, members are creating a better workplace for all.